JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Union Pacific’s proposed acquisition of Norfolk Southern will create an imbalanced national rail network while reducing options for shippers, CSX said today while launching a website to advise customers on how they can participate in the merger review process.
“Today’s U.S. Class I freight rail system is competitively balanced, consisting of six carriers: two western railroads, two eastern railroads, and two Canadian carriers providing north-south service,” CSX said. “This industry structure has supported routing options and competitive choices for rail shippers. The proposed combination would create a single transcontinental carrier alongside four regional carriers, resulting in an industry imbalance that would reduce viable options for shippers. These are among the matters the STB will consider to determine whether the proposed transaction is in the public interest and enhances competition.”
CSX has been the odd man out in the merger landscape. Berkshire Hathaway, which owns BNSF Railway — CSX’s logical merger partner — has said it has no interest in acquiring an Eastern railroad. BNSF has said it opposes the merger…